Aliba, 5 December (MTNews): Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Mokokchung in collaboration with the Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Nagaland, celebrated World Soil Day 2023 along with a Soil Health Camp at Aliba village on the 5 December.
In the keynote address, Dr Keviletsu Khate, Senior Scientist & Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mokokchung, encouraged farmers to treat soil as a living substance and cultivate healthy crops from healthy soil. He also emphasized the need for the preservation and registration of local germplasms.
S Amarjit, District Development Manager, NABARD, highlighted various projects and schemes carried out for farmers by different departments with financial assistance from NABARD. He encouraged farmers to work hard for the successful implementation of projects/programs and stressed the importance of soil and water conservation. He shared information about different available schemes, including those for the purchase of farm machinery and initiatives for Agri & Life Science graduates to set up Agri Clinics or Agri Business Centers.
The program included a short film show based on the theme for the year 2023, “Soil and Water: A Source of Life,” followed by the distribution of Soil Health Cards for cucumber farmers. The inaugural session concluded with the vote of thanks pronounced by the Aliba Village Council.
Earlier, the program was chaired by Temjentola, Secretary, Organizing Committee, Cucumber Festival while Lipokmar, Convenor, Organizing Committee, Cucumber Festival, delivered the welcome address.
This was followed by the technical sessions that covered topics such as Soil Health Management for Sustainable Production by Imtilemla ACTO (Soil Conservation), where farmers were sensitized to different nutrient sources for crop production and management. Another session on Integrated Pest Management in Cucurbits was conducted by Kum. Martha Chakruno ACTO (Entomology), provided detailed explanations on organic control of insect-pests and management practices.
Method demonstrations on seed treatment with fungicides and the technical method of preparing neem oil solution for foliar spray were also part of the program.
Following this, the program included a Farmers-Scientist Interaction where discussions focused on different farming methods and their rectification for better production and soil fertility maintenance. Farmers were educated about the use of soil health cards and were provided information about the status of their soil health based on soil health analysis reports, along with recommended measures to enhance soil fertility. In total, 42 farmers participated in the World Soil Day cum Soil Health Camp program.